Bill to give Ecology greater oversight of landfills draws support and concerns over overlapping authority

Committee staff and the bill sponsor briefed the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee on second substitute House Bill 11 54, which would modify state oversight of solid waste handling facilities and landfills.

Alicia Kinney Claussen, committee staff, explained that under current law jurisdictional health departments issue permits for solid waste facilities (including landfills) and renew them every five years, with Ecology in an oversight role. The bill would require Ecology to review and approve all landfill permits before issuance and would allow Ecology and local health districts to suspend permits if a facility is out of conformance. The bill also authorizes civil penalties of up to $5,000 per day and up to $10,000 per day after 14 days for facilities operating in violation, and it requires five-year reporting from…